Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-15
MYSTERY BY THE GENESEE
BY JAMES FRANKLIN FILrs.


Ii is the habit of people who write ro-
manccs to involve the persons who figure
in them i'll an impenetrable mystery; which
the author, however, is careful to clear up
before the conclusion. Such treatment is
not entirely true to life. Sober history
abounda in unsolyed mysteries. We do
not know although we may conjecture(
the identity Of the Man with the Iron Mask;
or the Fate Of the Unfortunate Dauphin,
the son OF Louis XVI, Of France; or the
authorship of the powerful letters of
,]unias; or the name Of the man who hid
the charter of Connecticut in the famous
oak tree. Our everyday life is fruitful
of events which we cannot explain,
and which are not likely 10 be explained in
this world.
Reflections of this nature passed through
my mind ono lovely day during the present
summer of 1856, as l stood on height,
overlooking one of the most picturesque
sections Of The Genesee Valley. Near by
was a lono grave, and headstone. had
examined the latter, and found that, though
very old, il had been carefully tended, and
tho inscription was quite eglible. Under
the winged chcrubim which the religious
sentiment Of the day required to be placed
at the tho head of the stone, the lettering
informed me that Roger Davenant was
there buried; that he died March H.,
1881, aged 81 years; and following
this was the simple but eloquent
word, Crest" The gentleman who had
accompanied me to the spot related to me
the strange, brief story Of the life and
death Of Roger Davenant.
What has been already stated shows
that he was born at the beginning Of the
present century. He was the younger
brother Of one of the pioneers of this
beautiful and fertile section. In the year
1925, when Roger came from Wallingford,
Connecticut. to join tho family of his
brother Isaiah, the hard and dangerous
work OF the pioneer was well-nigh done,
and flood-tid of emigration was pouring
into the rich farming lands of Western
Now York. Isaiah Davcnant had expert.
enccd all the hardships of the pioneers
life, and was now enjoying well-wor
recompensc. He was the owner of five
hund,ea acres of the best land in this
valley; his house, for those times, was {
wonder Of architecture; wife and five
children shared his prosperity.
70 this happy homo Roger Davenan
came not only as beloved and welcome
relative, but as a member Of the household
who was speedily to make himself indis
pensablc. The time was too early to furn
ish large public facilities for education
and the question that Isaiah had anxiousl,
put to himself as to how his growing boy
were to be instructed, was fully answered
upon the appearance Of Uncle Roger. HI
was a graduate Of Yale, and easily took VI
the task of tutor. The young people i'm
proved rapidly in book-lealning, AM
Isaiah and his wife were delighted will
their brother, not only as an educator o
their children, but as a pleasant compan
ion. Perhaps happier family circle coule
not have been found in the year 1925 along
the Gcncsce.
This is not q love story. But it become!
necessary to state that Roger Davenan
became engaged that winter to the daugh
teI VI u t'du ~ uOAeA.
visited her. The word "neighboring," a
here used, has relation to the time and thu
locality. The houses were three mile
apart. It was the custom of the youns
man TO ride over to the house of Mr.. Cor
ruth before sunset on the days of his visits
to remain with Gertrude till 10 o'clock, ant
then return home. This he did upon tn,
2lst of December-the dreadful, long
remembered day, when he passed from al
consciousness of the things Of this world.
The mysterious and utterly inexplicabl'
events of that night caused the route tina
Roger Davenant always pursued between
tho two houses to be carefully examined
! rresume that at least one thousand per
sons, first and last, surveyed it, scruliniz
ing every foot of it. Maps and plans wer,
mado, and distances and the character o
the country noticed to aid in the elucida
ton of the mystery. This statement vii
show tho vigilance and earnestness of tn
investigation, which, ere the winter wa
over. became a public interest, and pro
foundry stirred the people for hundred
miles along that valley. The surveys ant
plans showed that from the mansion o
Isaiah Davenant to the river there was OIL
easy slope OF about fourth Of mile